Valve assembly



A. l.. PR'KER 2,209,132

VALVE ASSEMBLY July 23, 1940.

'Fildlarch 17, 1938 Patented July V23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and usei'ul improvements in a valve assembly, and more particularly to improvements in a valve assembly of the general type shown and described in Letters Patent, No. 2,075,458, granted tome on March 30, 1937.

In the above prior patent, there is shown a l valve assembly which is adapted to selectively control the passage of iiuid through a plurality of ports.' The valve assembly is one which is particularly adapted to selectively control the passage of fluid from a series of inlet ports to a single outlet port, or vice versa. The valve member includes generally a body having a seat provided with a plurality of ports, and a chambered cap which is attached to the body and which covers the seat. The cap is provided with an outlet or discharge port and a valve member is disposed within the chamber defined by the cap and the body. This valve member is in the form of a disc rotatably mounted within the chamber for selectively controlling the passage of uidv through the ports. In the above patent, the valve disc is flexible and means are provided for-turning the valve disc and for flexing the same centrally of the ports in thevvalve seats so as to afford a tight sealing contact. According to the present invention, the valve member is rigid and is rotated in substantially the same manner as shown in my aforesaid patent.

An object of the present invention is to pro? vide a valve assembly of the above type, wherein the rigid valve member is provided with a separate valve insert which is concentric with a port and adapted to overlie'the port when in a position for closing the same and which may be uniformly exed centrallyof the port for effecting a tight sealing contact. .Y

A further object of the invention is to provide ja valve assembly of the above type, wherein the valve member is provided with a pocket or recess for receiving the valve insert. Y

A further object of theinventionis to providl a valve assembly of the above type, wherein resilient means extending through the valve member are provided for flexing the valve insert centrally lof the port when the insert is disposed thereover.

Astill further object of the invention is to provide a'valve assembly of the above type. wherein the valve inserts are made of a exible metal which may be formed without accurate machining, thus minimizing the cost of manufacture and simplifying the assembly.

The above and ot`-er objects ot the invention will in part be obvious, and will be hereinafter mo're fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved valve assembly. 5 Figure 2 is a planv view showing the valve body with the cap removed, the full lines showing the position of the valve member when covering all of the ports, and the broken lines showing the position of the `valve member when one of the 10v ports is uncovered.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the valve assembly oi' Figure 1.

'I'he valve assembly, as shown inthe illustrated embodiment of the invention', includes a body l5 portion I0 which provides a valve seat II. The body portion is provided with a plurality of inlet po ts I2, I2; I4, which open through the valve se t. These ports communicate'with internally threaded couplings I5, I6, I1, respectively, to 20 which conduits may be attached. The conduits leading from the couplings may bev connected to separate tanks for supplying a iluid. A valve cap I8 is secured to the valve body I Il by means-of bolts I9 or the like. A gasket 20 is disposed be- 25 tween the valve cap I8 and the body portion Il to prevent leakage of iluid. The valve cap I8 defines a chamber 2I between the top thereof and the valve seat II. A port 22 leads from this chamber to an internally threaded coupling 2l 30 to which an outlet pipe may be attached. This outlet pipe leads to the desired location where the fluid is to be delivered. A

Located within the chamber 2I is a valve member 24 in the form of a disc which is shaped to 35 provide a space 25 which may be brought into. register with one of the inlet ports so as to aiord a free passage for the fluid from this port into the chamber 2l. The valve member is provided with an integral ange 26 which extends around .40 the periphery thereof and along the sides of the passage 25. The inner ends 21 of the flange extend outwardly and into the body of the valve member. 'I'he flange 26 serves to stiiien the valve member. The valve member contacts with the 45' valve seat II and the ilange 26 makes intimate contact with the inner wall of the cap I8.

82. 11ans. the kpacking cap 'presses Vthe follower .against the packing material ln order to provide a tight joint between'the valve stem and the cap. The outer end lof the valve stem isv provided with 3 5 an operating handle 88 which is preferably provided with a' pointer 84 to indicate the setting of the valve member relative to the inlet ports. i

'I'he lower end of the valve stem, that is, the end which is disposed within the chamber 2|,

1 0 extends into a recess 'in the valve body Il.

This lower end of the valve stem 28 is internally bored to provide` a housing for a spring-pressed ball 88 which contacts with a seatat the bottom of the recess 8l. The valve stem 28 is` provided 16 with a aange a1 disposed within the chamber 2|.

The spring 88a bearing on theball 88 tends to force the valve stem upwardly so that the'flange 8l vmakes a tight turning f lt withv a plate 38.

This plate 88 is suitably. secured to the top of the 20 valve cap I8 and is provided with recesses 39.

which are spaced symmetrically with -respect to the portsin the valve body I0. f

A portion of the lower end of the valve stem .25 28 above the recess 85 is hexagonal in cross secn which is disposed beneath che hexagonal portion 48 of the valve stem. Thus, rotation of the valve stem 28 will effect similar rotation of the hub 4I. 'Ihe hub carries three radially extending arms 48, 44, 45, which overlie the valve member 35, 24. 'I'he ends of the radial arms are eachprovided with an .upstanding sleeve 46, these sleeves being disposed substantially the same distance 4'from 4the valve stem as the central axes of the inlet ports. A stud 41 is carried in the lowerend4 40 of each sleeve and a spring 48 bears against the stud. In the upper end of each sleeve is a ball '.llhe inner ends 21 of the flange 28 on the valve 48 against which the spr/'ing 48 also bears. Thus, the spring 48 tends to force the ball and the stud outwardly.

member 24 engage the sides of the radial arms '48 and 48 so that rotation of the valve stem and the radial arms. will eifect corresponding rotation of the -valve member r24. The valve memdber 24Y is provided with pockets or recesses 60.

-These recesses are symmetrically spaced with respect to the inlet ports and areof a greater diameter. A circular valve disc or insert '5I is disposed in each of the pocketsor recessesell Q5 and each insert 5I is concentric with a port when 'lo I4, are closed. In this position of the valve memclosed and overlies the port a uniform amount. Ihe valve discis of a diameter greater than the diameter of the inlet ports so that the edges thereof are held within the pockets. by the valve seat II. These valve inserts are of metal,

- preferably of stainless steel, and are flexible in order to aiford a tight seat around-the' port or ports which are tobe closed. Directly above eachvalve disc 5I, the valve member 24 is proc6 vided with an aperture 82. Thus, the studs 41 extend through the apertures 82 and bear centrallyonthe valveinserts 5I.

When the valve member is in the position shown in Figures'l and 3, theinlet ports I2, I3,

ber, the valve discs BI are disposed directly over 'therespective inlet ports, and the studs 4l, ex-

ten 'through the apertures i2 in the valvc l c memberfare forced downwardly by the springs gi 48 so as to flex the valve discs centrally into the 4eilected with the edges around the ports, as particularly shown in Figure 3. Thus ak tight seal is effected around the edges of the ports'. The recesses 88 in the plate 88 are entered bythe balls 48 so as to properly locate or position the valve member directly over the desired When the valve stem 28 is rotated by manipulation ofthe handle 88, the valve inserts 5I will be caused to move through their engagement with the pockets 50 and ride up on the valve seat II againstthe action ofthe springs 48 -so as to permit shifting of .the valveV member. Thus, the valve assembly is one which can selectively control the passage of iluid from any one of the inlet ports I2, I8, 'I4, to the outlet or discharge port 22.

, From the 'foregoing description, it will be seen that the springs 48 and studs constitute ilexing means which are disposed centrally of the valve discs 5I. The valve discs are made of a light material, preferably metal, and lthe pressure of the ilexingmeans on thel valve discs when the ports are closed thereby, will uniformly flex or bend the discs centrally into the ports within the elastic limit thereof. Thus, a tight seal `is closed. A

A specific embodiment of the inventionhas been shown in the accompanying drawing, lbut it is to b'e clearly understood that various changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing. rrom the scope of the invention as set forth .in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A valve assembly comprising a valve casing having a port therethrough, a rotatable rigid valve 'member mounted within said casing and having a recess in the under face thereof opening downwardly and concentric with said port when closed, saidrecess Ibeing of a diameter greater than the diameter of said port, ailexible valve irisertof a-slightly greater diameter than the -diameter of said port and disposed within said recess and'movable with said valve member and concentric with the port when closed, and means disposed centrallyA of the recess in said valve member and bearing centrally on said insert for uniformly flexing the said insert centrally of the vport when closed whereby to afford a uniform.

.tight sealing contact with the edge thereof.

-2. A valve assembly comprising a valve casing having a 'port therethrough, a "rotatable rigid valve member mountedwithin said casing and having an aperture therethrough disposed cen- -trally of the port when closed, said valve member having a. recess in the under lface thereof opening downwardly and concentric with the aperture therethrough and of a diameter greater` than the diameter ofsaid port, a flexible valve insert of slightly greater diameter than the diameter of said port anddisposed within said recess and movable with said valve-member` and concentric with the port when closed, and means Aextending centrally through the aperture in said valve member for uniformly ilexing the said in- .Vsert centrally of the port when .closed whereby to afford a uniform tight sealing contact with the edge thereof. r 3. A valve assemblycomprisirig avalve body having ia seat provided with a plurality of ports, a chambered cap secured to said body and coverin g said seat and'having a port leading therefrom, a rigid valve member rotatably mounted in contact with said seat'and having apertures ports to be therethrough spaced symmetrically with respect to the ports in said valve seat and disposed centrally of said ports when'closed, said valve member having in the under face thereof similarly spaced recesses concentric with said apertures and adjacent said 'valve seat, said recesses being of a diameter greater than the diameter of said ports, a plurality of flexible valve discs of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of said ports, one each of said valve discs being disposed within one oi' said recesses for closing the ports, said valve discs being movable with said valve member and concentric with said ports when closed, and resilient means movable with sald valve member and extending centrally through said apertures for bearing centrally against the said `valve discs whereby to uniformly flex the same centrally of the ports -to be closed in order to eect a uniform tight seal around the edges thereof.

ARTHUR L. PARKER. 

